Egypt condemns Israel’s violence against Palestinians on Land Day

Egypt condemned the Friday violence against unarmed civilians in the Palestinian occupied territories. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt strongly rejected the excessive use of power by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian peaceful marches on Land Day.

The ministry asserted Egypt’s full support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Among those rights is the right to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and refugees’ right of return. Egypt also called for activating the UN-related resolutions, calling upon the international community to take its responsibilities towards the Palestinian issue.

“Commemorating Land Day reminds the whole world of the necessity for the serious, rapid, and fair intensive settlement for the Palestinian issue,” the statement read.

Egypt also called upon all parties involved in the conflict to practice calm and self-restraint in order to avoid putting lives of civilians in more danger, warning of the gravity of not continuing the peace process to reach a fair settlement for the Palestinian issue in accordance with the international references and the two-state solution, according to the statement.

The Palestinian Authority announced on Saturday a day of national mourning after the Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians during the Friday marches near Gaza’s borders with Israel on the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, dubbed the Great Return March.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health also declared that more than 1,400 people were wounded after the Israeli forces fired live ammunition at and used tear gas against protesters.

Moreover, Kuwait requested on Friday an urgent session of the UN Security Council on the situation in Palestine. For his part, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an “independent and transparent investigation” into the Friday incidents.